Exendin-4 exhibits a tumour suppressor effect in SKOVR-3 and OVACR-3 ovarian cancer cells lines by the activation of SIRT1 and inhibition of NF-κB

Antiproliferative Ruthenium Complexes Containing Curcuminoid Ligands Tested In Vitro on Human Ovarian Tumor Cell Line A2780, towards Their Capability to Modulate the NF-κBTranscription Factor, FGF-2 Growth Factor, and MMP-9 Pathway

So far, the polyphenolic components of turmeric have shown a significant pharmacological preventative activity for a wide spectrum of diseases, including oncological disorders. This type of natural product could be of great interest for the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, displaying less side effects in comparison to classical chemotherapeutics. The poor bioavailability and quick metabolism of such natural compounds require new investigative methods to improve their stability in the organisms. A synthetic approach to increase the efficiency of curcuminoids is to coordinate them to metals through the beta-dicarbonyl moiety. We report the synthesis and the biological attempts on human ovarian carcinoma A2780 of ruthenium(II) complexes 1–4, containing curcuminoid ligands. The cytotoxicity of complexes 1–4 proves their antiproliferative capability, and a correlation between the IC50 values and NF-κB transcription factor, FGF-2, and MMP-9 levels was figured out through the principal component analysis (PCA).

Anticancer and Apoptotic Activity in Cervical Adenocarcinoma HeLa Using Crude Extract of Ganoderma applanatum

Cancer is currently one of the foremost health challenges and a leading cause of death worldwide. Cervical cancer is caused by cofactors, including oral contraceptive use, smoking, multiparity, and HIV infection. One of the major and considerable etiologies is the persistent infection of the oncogenic human papilloma virus. G. applanatum is a valuable medicinal mushroom that has been widely used as a folk medicine for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. In this study, we obtained crude extract from G. applanatum mushroom with a subcritical water extraction method; cell viability assay was carried out and the crude extract showed an antiproliferative effect in HeLa cells with IC₅₀ of 1.55 ± 0.01 mg/mL; however, it did not show any sign of toxicity in HaCaT. Protein expression was detected by Western blot, stability of IκBα and downregulation of NFκB, IKKα, IKKβ, p-NFκB-65(Ser 536) and p-IKKα/β(Ser 176/180), suggesting loss of survival in a dose-dependent manner. RT-qPCR revealed RNA/mRNA expression; fold changes of gene expression in Apaf-1, caspase-3, cytochrome-c, caspase-9, Bax and Bak were increased, which implies apoptosis, and NFκB was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. DNA fragmentation was seen in the treatment groups as compared to the control group using gel electrophoresis. Identification and quantification of compounds were carried out by GC–MS and HPLC, respectively; 2(5H)furanone with IC₅₀ of 1.99 ± 0.01 μg/mL could be the responsible anticancer compound. In conclusion, these findings suggest the potential use of the crude extract of G. applanatum as a natural source with anticancer activity against cervical cancer.

Inactivation of Pancreatic Stellate Cells by Exendin-4 Inhibits the Migration and Invasion of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Background

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are precursor cells of cancer-associated fibroblasts that promote tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist exendin-4 has been reported to exhibit anticancer effects against several tumor cells; however, the function and mechanism underlying the effects of exendin-4 on pancreatic cancer cells remain unclear.

Methods

Gene expression levels were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assay. Cell viability, migration and invasion were assessed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), wound healing, and transwell assays, respectively. A xenografted tumor model was established in mouse to evaluate the effects of exendin-4 in vivo.

Results

Exendin-4 treatment led to the inactivation of PSCs and suppressed their proliferation and migration. Moreover, we also found that exendin-4 attenuated NF-κB-dependent SDF-1 secretion. Furthermore, pancreatic cancer cells incubated with conditioned medium obtained from exendin-4-treated PSCs showed a decreased ability to proliferate, migrate, and invade as compared to the control cells, which is similar to the effects induced by the CXCR4 inhibitor, AMD3100. Consistent with in vitro results, we also confirmed that exendin-4 indirectly targeted pancreatic cancer cells in vivo by attenuating the function of PSCs and suppressing the deposition of extracellular matrix.

Conclusion

These results revealed that exendin-4-treated PSCs could suppress pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion, offering a potential strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.